Window Wonderland

Decorated windows can add greatly to the Christmas spirit, especially if you’re curtailing outside lighting this season. Because window decorations represent a lot of effort, try to have the family create a traditional window design that you can use again.

Painted scenes can be preserved by using poster paint or permanent felt-tip markers on heavy plastic. The plastic is available in fabric or hardware stores and comes in several widths and weights. It can be rolled up and stored for reuse. This clear plastic has transparent qualities similar to glass, without the expense and danger of breakage of glass.

Plexiglas is transparent, inflexible, and expensive, but it may work better for stained-glass effects. It comes in large sheets, about 4′ by 8′, but dealers will usually cut smaller pieces. Acrylic paints give desired translucence.

A stained-glass effect may also be achieved, although less permanently and with more clean-up required, by placing black electrical tape on the window in the desired pattern and then by painting between the black lines with poster paints. Family members of almost any age can paint the small sections.

Another family project is to create a frosted effect on windows by using waxed paper. First, have the children cut out snowflakes from pastel-colored tissue paper. Then pull enough waxed paper from the roll to cover the window twice. (Keep in mind that the sheets must overlap each other one-half inch and should be one inch longer than the window.)

On a large surface covered with butcher paper or paper bags, spread one layer of waxed paper. Seam the sheets of waxed paper together by overlapping the edges and pressing them briefly with a warm iron. In the same way prepare a second layer of waxed paper. (The butcher paper will collect the melted wax.)

Place the snowflakes on one layer of the waxed paper so that they lie flat, and cover them with the second layer of seamed waxed paper. Press all layers together with the iron. Place the finished paper inside the window and secure it with masking tape. An oval may be cut in the center to display the Christmas tree or other decoration.—Laurie William Sowby, a homemaker and music teacher, is newspaper director in American Fork Third Ward, American Fork Utah Stake.

Illustrated by Nadine Spillman